Abstract
This paper explains that the most promising systemic educational reform plan involves school choice, a school system that allows parents to select which school their children attend, thus giving parents the freedom to move their children out of ineffective schools while at the same time motivating the ineffective schools to improve. The author stresses that the government should only open the school choice program to families who 1) demonstrate economic need and 2) whose children would be assigned to an inadequate public school. The paper states that an effective educational system based on choice must include religious schools among the choice options.

Table of Contents
The Significance of Education
School Reform Efforts
School Finance Reform
Reform Plans Involving Forms of School Choice
Inter-district Transfer Plans and Controlled Choice
School Choice Systems in Milwaukee and Cleveland
Barriers to Choice-based Education Reform
Legal Obstacles to School Choice
A Pyrrhic Desegregation Policy
Political Barriers to School Reform
Conclusion: Constructing a Feasible School Choice System
Overcoming Legal Barriers
Religious "Choice" Schools
Designing a School Choice System
Targeted Participation
Maximum Number of Available Options
Funding School Choice
The Choice Process
Evaluating a School Choice System

From the Paper
"Ironically, reform efforts to ensure equal educational opportunity have faced opposition from interests pursuing a strict desegregation enforcement policy. Some of these proponents of a strict desegregation policy have confused the means with the ends in providing for equal education through the desegregation doctrine established in Brown. The reasoning by the Court in "Brown" implied that the purpose of integration was to ensure that racial minorities received an equal educational opportunity: "We come then to the question presented: Does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though the physical facilities and other "tangible" factors may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities?" This implies that equal "tangible" factors are necessary elements of an equal educational opportunity."

Tags:re-segregation, inter-district, brown, religious, barriers

Abstract
The paper discusses the statistics of literate and illiterate adults in America. The writer posits that in order to ensure that children become literate, it is important that they should learn to love books. The writer suggests that in order to accomplish this goal, students should become active participants in their own education. The paper discusses that the choice of library reading during free choice time and the activities that the students participate in will help educators to understand the best way to create a nation of readers. The writer reviews literature which focuses on the idea of reading for pleasure and on the far reaching effects of literate students. The paper examines the procedures that can be used to encourage students to read. In conclusion, the writer feels that it is important to build the students' self-confidence and self-esteem as readers as this fosters a positive reading attitude among children.

Table of Contents:
The Problem
Literature Review
Summary
Procedures
School Culture
Findings
Conclusions
References

From the Paper
"The school is a private school located in a quiet suburban community. The community of the school is diverse with students of majority and minority ancestry. The children range in economic status from those of upper class to those of lower class status, (on scholarship). The grade level of students in this study is equivalent to grades Kindergarten and First, although the school is set up by stages where children stay in one homeroom for two years. The homerooms have no more than eighteen children with one head teacher and one team teacher in each homeroom. Stage II consists of five homerooms housed in an interesting structure called the "domes" termed this because the Effects of a Free Choice Reading Environment rooms are, in fact, like small igloos. There are several special classes offered in the morning to the students on a rotating basis such as art, science, library, music, dance and physical education. In the afternoon the same rotation of classes are offered as Free Choice options. The students are allowed to attend Free Choice every afternoon for forty-five minutes. There are two blocks of offerings with one-half the homeroom attending Free Choice while the other half remains in the homeroom to receive math or language arts instruction."

Tags:library, books, schools, literature

Abstract
This paper provides a definition of this program and explains that it was designed to improve current academic performance as well as set the stage for students to attend postsecondary institutions and succeed there. It explains that the research on the effectiveness of the program in general has shown mixed results. There are other influences operating on Upward Bound students and some of these are explored in terms of occupational choices. It looks at the background of the Upward Bound program, achievements of the program, and social influences on participants, along with research on occupational choice-making.

Introduction
Background
Upward-Bound Students
Achievements and Orientations
Social Influences and Occupational Choice-Making
References

From the Paper
"The story of Upward Bound begins with the War on Poverty and legislation signed by Lyndon Johnson in 1964. The Economic Opportunity Act established an office of Economic Opportunity and special Programs for Students from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (often known as the TRIO programs). The first TRIO program was actually Upward Bound, followed by Talent Search. These were followed by Student Support Services program and Educational Opportunity Centers. Following that, The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program was established in 1986, with the final piece of the program being the Upward Bound Math/Science Program, administered with the rest of the Upward Bound programs (McElroy and Armesto, 1998). Eligibility for participation in these programs was established firmly by the reauthorization of the HEA in 1980 and emphasized two concepts. First, students were anticipated to be the first in their families to pursue higher education. Second, the student's previous performance was considered in allowing for admission. Wolanin (1996) noted that the first-generation-college criterion was particularly important because it included non-financial barriers to college access. In other words, it was not an eligibility criteria based solely on financial qualifications, but on the status of the individual's family and the history of that family, which could have been impacted by many factors."

Tags:college, job, career, motivation

Abstract
This paper argues that the way that people act out their gender is not a natural, inherent extension of their biological sex, but in accordance with the expectations imposed on them by the heterosexual model of society. The paper describes Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity and then analyses two social experiments, implementing the use of participant research observation in leisure activities in order to support its claims.

From the Paper
"The research conducted therefore concludes that men and women are not naturally gendered beings, but are yet constrained into playacting the normative conceptions of femininity and masculinity imposed on them by the hegemonic masculinity of society (Butler 2002:49). Gender performances can be observed in leisure activities (Wearing 1996:169). Both experiments found that most people accord to gender stereotypes, due to fear of not being a real man or women, because those who contest it fear becoming ostracised from society (Butler 2002:49). These experiments led to the conclusion that gender is not an inherent part of our identity, but yet based on performances (Chinn 1997:306). This was most exemplified in the way the shop assistant changed her performance towards the baby once she was informed the baby was really a he. This supports Butler's argument of gender performativity, thus further legitimising her claims (Chinn 1997:294)."

Tags:biology, heterosexual, expectations, society

Abstract
The following paper examines a study of moral dilemmas which attempted to use in-depth critical thinking to assess the moral decisions of five individuals. In the study scenario, morality has a price and the individuals were given a choice between what they wanted to do and what they wanted or desired. Neither decision was desirable and a person's values and ethics determined their choice. The writer argues that there is no right or wrong answer and none of the participants had a better answer than the others.

From the Paper
"A moral dilemma involves a situation that gives a person two possible courses of action, each requiring a morally impermissible action. Plato presented a classic example of a moral dilemma in his teachings. A man borrowed a weapon from his neighbor and gave him a promise that he would return it. The neighbor returns to him shortly after to claim the weapon but is in a fit of rage. He wants the weapon back so that he can kill someone. This creates a moral dilemma for the borrower. If he keeps his promise and returns the weapon, he will be an accessory to murder. If he refuses to return the weapon, he has broken his promise. "

Tags:psychologist, brain, handles, dilemmas, moral, decisions, emotional, responses, logical, analyses

Abstract
This paper examines how Canada's role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is insignificant compared to the other member states and attempts to show that Canada has little choice but to remain part of NATO. In order to understand this argument, it provides an examination of NATO, its history and a record of the organization's involvement in Bosnia and Kosovo. It looks at how valid NATO is in the present day, 15 years after its mandate was toppled. The state of Canada's armed forces are also discussed, focusing on what and who, led to their weakness. A study of arguments calling for Canada's withdrawal from NATO is then presented, followed by accounts stating that Canada has no choice but to remain a part of NATO.

From the Paper
"Since the end of the Soviet threat to the West in the early 1990's, NATO has gone through an "identity crisis". Through the Cold War, NATO's existence was validated by immense conventional force buildup in Eastern Europe by the Warsaw Pact. The West sincerely believed, quite suitably, that they were under imminent threat of a Soviet attack. However, after 1991, "NATO no longer seemed necessary to keep the Russians out or the Germans down." Instead of disbanding, NATO decided to change its prerogatives and find a new meaning, a fresh claim to validity."

Tags:kosovo, military, otan, rwanda, yugoslavia

Abstract
The paper explains that the framing effect is typically observed when the description of options in terms of gains, or a positive frame, rather than losses (negative frame) results in systematically different choices. The paper notes that few theories explain the framing effect by using cognitive information-processing principles, but this paper endeavours to illustrate this documented psychological and behavioural trend. More specifically, this paper provides an examination of the framing effect through the evaluation of an empirical study on the effect of question framing on the individual's conception of choice. The paper describes how study participants were offered parallel options that were presented to the subject in a specific way.

From the Paper
"The framing effect is typically observed when the description of options in terms of gains, or a positive frame, rather than losses (negative frame) results in systematically different choices. Few theories explain the framing effect by using cognitive information-processing principles,..."

Tags:framing, choice, cognition

Abstract
This paper explains that experts have a hard time agreeing on the causes and risks of autism, which is a spectrum disorder; however, there is a general agreement that it is a devastating disorder impacting social skills in ways that are far reaching. The author proposes a research study to determine if pre-school programs designed for disabled children are effective methods for helping children with autism develop their social skills and thus increase their ability to communicate. The paper reports that the research will use the case study method studying ten selected participants. The author will gather information using a multi-dimensional approach of interviews with the family members and teachers, observations and empirical data from program records.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Background of Study
Purpose of Study
Significance of Study
Research Questions
Assumptions
Delimitation
Definitions
Literature Review
Proposed Methodology
Exploring the Options
"What Is Methodology?
Literature Review
This Study Proposal Choice
Participants
Data Analysis
Limitations of Study
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Children with autism often fail to develop appropriate social skills and are consequently treated differently by their school peers. In addition, their reactions to teachers and other personnel at the school may be inappropriate because they do not have the developed social skills needed to react appropriately. By the time children start school they have usually developed social skills that can help them navigate the day and the tasks that are required of them. For children with autism the inability to socially communicate can make the day difficult at best and impossible to navigate at worst."

Tags:case, devastating, peers, interviews, spectrum

Abstract
This paper examines the advantages and set backs of HRAs and shows that in implementing an HRA plan, companies need to asses whether they will offer HRAs in conjunction with other plans, how much to contribute to each participant's HRA, how much of the account can be rolled over from year to year, how to teach employees to manage their own medical expenses, and what impact an HRA will have on health care costs.

From the Paper
"For about seventy-five to eighty percent of Americans, a $1,000 fund for single employees and a $2,000 fund for employees with families will be sufficient. However, those who have chronic conditions will quickly exhaust their funds. Some also worry that employees may forgo needed medical care once the money in their accounts has been spent. Therefore, it is prudent to at least supplement an HRA with a high-deductible medical plan, with annual employee contributions ranging from $1,000 to $4,000. Deductibles kick in after the HRA has been tapped out and once the deductible has been met, the coverage then rolls over the supplemental medical plan. Still other experts advise large companies to continue to offer traditional plans such as HMOs and PPOs on their health-benefits menu in addition to an HRA plan."

Tags:tax, welfare, employee

Abstract
This paper investigates the connection between the types or forms of government and their performance in terms of the human development index (HDI), which is a more reliable measurement of development as a referent of its effect and contribution to the human person. The author argues that democratic forms of government are better able to provide for the advancement of human development because they allow for more meaningful public participation. The paper indicates that more than 60% of all dominant-assembly-oriented types (mostly referred to as parliamentary systems of government) and 20% of accountable-executive-oriented (mostly referred to as presidential systems) fall within categories regarded as "high human development" and roughly 24 percent of the former and 57% of the latter countries are within the "medium human development" category.

Table of Contents:
Abstract
Introduction
Related Literature
Structures of Government
Table. Riggs's Classification of Polity's (Political Systems)
Democracy and Development
Human Development
Classification of Forms of Government
Table. Classification of Forms of Government Used in the Paper
Human Development Index and Forms of Government
Table. High Human Development
Table. Medium Human Development
Table. Low Human Development
Distribution of Each Governmental Type across HD Levels
Table. Distribution of Each Type of Governmental Form across HD Levels
Table. HDI by Designated Regions and Clusters
Conclusion: Democracy for Human Development

From the Paper
"There are governments as well, which may have plurality in terms of decision-making but it is dispersed among a few like-minded individuals advancing a common cause and not allowing for existence of competing groups or parties. This characterizes the third type of governmental system which still greatly persists in the present era--the ruling-party oriented type (Type 3). Theocratic governments are sub-classified under this since theocratic governments whether multi-party or not, allow a rather very little room for ideological dissent and since their main goals are to conservatively advance a particular religion and way of life and sometimes at the expense of political rights and civil liberties."

Tags:choice participation, elected representatives, human development index, orthotonic